Species

Asplenium - Aspleniaceae

Asplenium varians Wall. ex Hook. & Grev. ssp. fimbriatum (Kunze) Schelpe

Photo: P. Ballings
South Africa

Synonyms	Asplenium fimbriatum Kunze Asplenium varians sensu Sim Asplenium semivarians Viane & Reichstein
Common name
Description	Rhizome erect, up to 9 mm thick; rhizome scales dark brown, lanceolate in outline, apex gradually tapering to a point, up to 3 mm long, margins (sub)entire. Fronds erect or arching, not proliferous, tufted, herbaceous. Stipe up to 13 cm long, set with a few scattered hair-like scales up to 2 mm long especially towards the base, matt brown. Lamina 5-23 cm × 1.5-5 cm, 2-pinnatifid to 2-pinnate, ovate-lanceolate to narrowly elliptic in outline, lower 1-3 pairs of pinnae somewhat reduced, not decrescent. Pinnae up to 10 pairs, to 3 x 1.3 cm, venation pinnate, pinnatifid with the basal acroscopic lobe often free, outer margins sharply toothed, glabrous above, subglabrous below. Rhachis glabrous, narrowly winged. Sori 2-5 per lobe, linear to oval, 2-4 mm long, indusium linear, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, almost transparent, erose.
Notes	Confusion with A. lobatum possible. A. varians has a less finely divided lamina with serrate-dentate lobe margins.
Derivation	varians: referring to the variability of the species fimbriatum: "the margin has long slender processes" referring to the elongated serrations of the pinnules.
Habitat	Rock crevicesor on moss covered boulders in evergreen or semi-deciduous forest.
Distribution worldwide
Distribution in Africa	Dem. Republic of Congo , Kenya , Lesotho , Mozambique , South Africa , Tanzania , Uganda , Zimbabwe .
Growth form	Epiphytic, lithophytic.
Literature	Beentje, H.J. (2008) Aspleniaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Page 61. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 242. (Includes a picture). Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011) Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide. Struik Nature. Pages 640 - 641. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 350 - 351. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009) Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands. Strelitzia 23, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. Page 100. Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Pages 172 - 173. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Page 177. (Includes a picture).